Hives

Hives, also known as urticaria, can be acute or they can be chronic. Many people have had the hives, and for most of them the symptoms go away in a day or two, usually always within a week. Chronic hives is when the symptoms last for at least six weeks with no improvement seen during that time.

Many people, and this includes doctors and scientists, wonder what causes hives. The answer to that has been researched for years but there is no simple answer to the question. There are many different things that are thought to be the causes of hives. Some of the more common causes of hives are allergic reactions to drugs, certain foods that are eaten after exercise, allergic reactions to foods such milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, and many other foods. Insect stings can cause hives as well. If you have ever wondered what causes my dog’s hives, it might very well be a bug bite that brought them on.

Hives treatment usually begins by determining what brought them on in the first place and if possible having the patient avoid those things in the future. For example, if eating eggs caused the skin hives the person should avoid eggs in the future. This is a simple example but you get the point. Other treatment options include antihistamines or products for hives, Zoloft being one such drug.

It may be important to know that hives look different in different people. This is why a diagnosis from a qualified medical doctor is important. This is especially important in cases of chronic hives. Causes of chronic hives must be researched carefully in order to know the best treatment regime for the patient. In cases of severe hives, doctors may need to take immediate action to make sure the patient’s airway remains open as severe hives are often a sign of some allergic reaction which can be life-threatening in some cases.

If you develop hives, you may want to take pictures of the hives if they tend to flair up and then decrease. Having a photo to show to your doctor will help him or her determine exactly what is happening to you.

Recently the question has been asked, can stress cause hives? The jury is still out on that one, but studies do seem to suggest that stress can cause various forms of skin ailments and this might very well include hives.